215. The New Media Landscape: Trust, Transparency, and Transformation

Summary

Episode Summary: Think Fast Talk Smart – Episode 215: The New Media Landscape: Trust, Transparency, and Transformation

Release Date: July 10, 2025

In Episode 215 of Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques, host Matt Abrahams engages in a compelling conversation with Richard Edelman, President and CEO of Edelman, a renowned global communications and marketing firm. This episode delves deep into the evolving landscape of media, the critical role of trust and transparency in communication, and the transformative impact of technology on organizational messaging.

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Introduction to the Guest and Topic

Matt Abrahams opens the episode by introducing Richard Edelman, highlighting his expertise and the significance of the Edelman Trust Barometer—a pivotal annual survey assessing trust and credibility across various global institutions.

Matt Abrahams [01:10]: "Today I look forward to speaking with Richard Edelman... Richard is widely recognized for his thought leadership in marketing and PR, focusing on corporate trust, brand reputation, and social responsibility."

The Evolution of Trust in Business

The conversation begins with an exploration of how trust has transformed in the business realm over the past decade. Edelman emphasizes that trust has become the cornerstone for institutions, noting significant shifts in public perception and the dynamics of trust dissemination.

Richard Edelman [03:23]: "Trust has become the central proposition for institutions in the last 25 years... Now business is the most trusted institution among the head of government, business, and NGOs because it's the only one both competent and ethical."

Key Developments Identified:

1. Loss of Belief in Leaders: A growing skepticism towards leaders, with two-thirds of people believing that leaders lie.
2. Horizontal Trust Dissemination: Trust is now often shared among peers, friends, and family rather than solely top-down.
3. Localized Trust: Increased trust within personal companies and direct communications like CEO messages.
4. Dominance of Business Institutions: Businesses are increasingly seen as competent and ethical, surpassing other institutions in trustworthiness.

Rebuilding Trust After a Breach

Matt probes into strategies for individuals and managers facing significant breaches of trust. Edelman underscores the importance of acknowledgment, transparency, and actionable steps to restore credibility.

Richard Edelman [04:37]: "It's really important that you acknowledge and show a path to fixing it... Tell people how it happened, why it happened, and what you're doing to fix it, and show proof that it's fixed."

Edelman’s Core Advice:

• Acknowledge the Breach: Openly recognize the issue without defensiveness.
• Communicate Clearly: Explain the circumstances and the steps being taken to rectify the situation.
• Demonstrate Follow-Through: Provide tangible evidence that corrective measures have been implemented.

The Rise of Personal Branding and Social Media for Leaders

The discussion shifts to the increasing expectation for leaders to establish a personal brand and act as social media influencers. Edelman offers nuanced insights into how CEOs can effectively build trust and credibility online.

Richard Edelman [05:51]: "For CEOs, it's more appropriate to communicate through LinkedIn or short-form YouTube captures of your remarks at corporate events... People want to see the person's more true self."

Strategic Recommendations:

• Choose Appropriate Platforms: Utilize professional networks like LinkedIn for official communications and platforms like YouTube for more personal interactions.
• Authentic Engagement: Share substantial content beyond sound bites to convey genuine personality and values.
• Media Diversity: Engage with various media forms to reach a broader audience and build a multifaceted presence.

Shifting Media Channels and Communication Strategies

Edelman discusses the transformation in media consumption and how organizations must adapt their messaging strategies to align with diverse media ecosystems.

Richard Edelman [06:56]: "Mainstream media is insufficient now. You have to talk to creators, podcasters, and this new ecosystem of people who are podcasters and otherwise."

Emerging Media Trends:

• Frequent and Longer-Form Content: Audiences are favoring more in-depth and regular content updates.
• Multi-Tiered Media Personalities: Engagement spans from real personalities and intellectuals to versatile media creators.
• Lifestyle-Oriented Content: Integration of communication strategies with lifestyle media akin to shows like "Good Morning America."

Strategic Communication Insights:

• Target Diverse Media Levels: Develop tailored messages for different media tiers to maximize reach and impact.
• Leverage New Media Creators: Collaborate with podcasters and digital creators to harness their established audiences.
• Integrated Media Approach: Combine social media initiatives with mainstream media outreach for comprehensive coverage.

The Impact of AI on Organizational Communication

Addressing the ubiquitous topic of artificial intelligence, Matt and Edelman explore both the opportunities and challenges AI presents for communication strategies within organizations.

Richard Edelman [08:32]: "ChatGPT helps me in 10 minutes to write the blog. The productivity is stunning... We're still trying to figure out, does it change our organizational structure? Does it change our workflows?"

Opportunities with AI:

• Enhanced Productivity: AI tools can significantly expedite content creation and streamline communication processes.
• Content Generation: Assist in drafting initial versions of communications, allowing for quicker turnaround times.

Challenges and Concerns:

• Organizational Adaptation: Determining how AI integration affects existing structures and workflows.
• Trust Implications: Ensuring AI-generated content maintains authenticity and reliability.

Edelman cautions against treating AI outputs as final products, emphasizing the necessity of human oversight.

Richard Edelman [09:22]: "It's a first draft of history... It should not be your final draft."

Essential Qualities for Future Leaders in Communication

Drawing from his extensive experience, Edelman outlines the pivotal qualities and skills that upcoming leaders should cultivate to navigate the complex communication landscape effectively.

Richard Edelman [09:48]: "Be a citizen of the world... expose your thinking to those who have fundamentally different approaches... it makes you broader."

Key Qualities Identified:

1. Global Perspective: Embracing diverse cultures and viewpoints to inform comprehensive communication strategies.
2. Openness to Diverse Influences: Engaging with various fields and disciplines to foster innovative thinking.
3. Adaptability and Broad Thinking: Moving beyond narrow, analytical approaches to incorporate a wider range of solutions.

Admired Communicators and Their Traits

When asked about communicators he admires, Edelman highlights figures like Howard Schultz of Starbucks, praising their ability to communicate a compelling vision and maintain ethical standards.

Richard Edelman [15:05]: "Howard Schultz... do what you do well and do it affordably... they talk in a way that makes you want to follow."

Attributes of Admired Communicators:

• Big-Picture Thinking: Focused on overarching goals and values rather than narrow business metrics.
• Inclusive and Ethical Communication: Prioritizing ethical considerations and inclusive practices in messaging.
• Inspirational Leadership: Communicators inspire trust and loyalty through their values and actions.

Three Ingredients for Successful Communication

In closing, Edelman shares his "communication recipe" comprising three essential ingredients that foster effective and trustworthy communication.

Richard Edelman [16:41]:

1. Action Builds Trust: "If you don't do something, you can't talk about it."
2. Speak Broadly: "Talk to your employees first and then talk to other stakeholders so inside out."
3. Inclusive Communication Channels: "Employees have to talk... inclusion of various media forms from creators to podcasters to mainstream."

Summary of Ingredients:

1. Action-Oriented Communication: Demonstrating genuine efforts and initiatives to back up verbal commitments.
2. Internal to External Messaging: Prioritizing communication within the organization before addressing external audiences.
3. Diverse Media Engagement: Utilizing a wide array of media platforms to disseminate messages effectively.

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Conclusion

Episode 215 of Think Fast Talk Smart offers a profound exploration of the intricate relationship between trust, media evolution, and communication strategies in today’s dynamic environment. Through Richard Edelman’s insights, listeners gain a deeper understanding of how to navigate the challenges of rebuilding trust, leveraging new media channels, and incorporating technological advancements like AI to enhance organizational communication. The episode serves as an invaluable resource for professionals seeking to elevate their communication skills and build stronger, trust-based relationships in both personal and professional spheres.

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Notable Quotes:

• Richard Edelman [03:23]: "Trust has become the central proposition for institutions in the last 25 years."
• Richard Edelman [04:37]: "Tell people how it happened, why it happened, and what you're doing to fix it, and show proof that it's fixed."
• Richard Edelman [05:51]: "People want to see the person's more true self."
• Richard Edelman [09:22]: "It's a first draft of history... It should not be your final draft."
• Richard Edelman [16:41]: "Action builds trust... Speak broadly... Inclusion of various media forms."

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Additional Resources:

For further exploration on trust in communication, listeners are encouraged to check out Episode 156 featuring Jamil Zaki and access the Edelman Trust Barometer through Edelman’s website.

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Produced by Ryan Campos. For more episodes and insights, subscribe to Think Fast Talk Smart on your preferred podcast platform and join the conversation at fastersmarter.io.

Transcript

[Matt Abrahams]

Hi Matt here.

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You One of the fundamental truths about trust is it's about open, transparent communication.

My name is Matt Abrahams and I.

Teach Strategic Communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Welcome to Think Fast Talk Smart, the podcast. Today I look forward to speaking with Richard Edelman. Richard is the President and CEO of Edelman, a leading global communications marketing firm. Richard is widely recogn for his thought leadership in marketing and PR and he focuses on issues related to corporate trust, brand reputation and social responsibility. Edelman produces the highly regarded annual Edelman Trust Barometer which surveys trust and credibility in various institutions globally, providing key insights.

For all of us.

Welcome Richard. I am so thrilled that our mutual friend David Demarest introduced us together.

Thanks for being here.

[Richard Edelman]

Glad to be here.

[Matt Abrahams]

Let's take a quick break for a message from our sponsors. By supporting them, you help support the show. Hi Matt. Here we spend years developing skills, gaining experience and working hard. But when it comes to advancing, making a career change, or negotiating a better salary, many of us hesitate because we lack a clear strategy and accountability. And that's where today's sponsor, Strawberry Me Career Coaching comes in. We know that success isn't just about effort, it's about having the right guidance and feedback. Strawberry Me matches you with a certified career coach who will help you clarify your career goals. They'll help develop a results driven strategy because progress requires action and finally, they'll help you stay accountable. Top athletes have coaches, great speakers have coaches. So why wouldn't you have one for your career? Go to Strawberry Me Smart and claim your $50 credit. That's Strawberry Me Smart. Because great careers don't just happen, they're built with the right coaching.

I'd like to start by Talking about trust and the findings and applications of your Edelman Trust Barometer. How has the concept of trust evolved in the business world in the last decade or so and what are some of the key factors driving those changes?

[Richard Edelman]

I think trust has become the central proposition for institutions in the last 25 years and I think the big developments in that period of time are first the loss of belief in leaders. Two thirds of people literally believe leaders lie to them. Now business leaders, government leaders, even journalists, the mass class divide, the bottom quartile and the top quartile have fundamentally different views of the world. The idea that trust historically was conveyed top down, then 15 years ago it started to go horizontal to peers, friends, family and more recently trust has gone local into my company, my CEO, My Company newsletter and the last big development is that business is the most trusted institution, the head of government, business and NGOs because it's the only one both competent and ethical. So those are the four big developments.

[Matt Abrahams]

The Edelman Trust Barometer has become a significant tool for understanding public trust in general.

What advice do you have for individuals.

Or managers who have experienced a significant.

Breach of trust in their personal or professional relationships? How can we effectively rebuild that trust?

[Richard Edelman]

Really important that you acknowledge and that you show a path to fixing it. And whether you've picked the wrong creator or whether you have the wrong policy for an airplane that's overlooked, just fix the policy. Tell people how it happened, why it happened and what you're doing to fix it and show proof that it's fixed. But don't get mixed up in your own knitting and over survey people. Just decide, do communicate.

[Matt Abrahams]

I like that. Decide do communicate and make it clear. And then it sounded also that you demonstrate that you've actually done it right so that people see you followed through. I appreciate that. And that helps not just with businesses, but individuals within those businesses. I have noticed a trend. I'd be curious to know if you've seen it and I'd like your thoughts on it. There seems to be a movement towards leaders needing to be social media influencers with personal branding becoming increasingly important. Do you see that trend and what advice do you have for professionals looking to build trust and credibility through their social media presence?

[Richard Edelman]

I think for CEOs it's more appropriate to communicate through LinkedIn, maybe short form YouTube captures of your remarks at corporate events. I wouldn't say that people expect CEOs to do personal branding. They do though want to see the person in longer form media that exposes the person's more true self you have to be willing to go through the ordeal of media, and that way people can get to know you.

[Matt Abrahams]

And that sounds like what the key advice is that you're sharing is that you need to allow yourself to show who you are, and you need to find the right channel or media to do that. And it's more than just sticking to sound bites and memes. It's really having a message and at least being perceived to be open to sharing that message. It seems to me that the type of media that people are going to is changing a bit. Are you seeing a shift in the type of media that can help relay trust and credibility? Is there a change that you're noticing?

[Richard Edelman]

Edelman's about to put out a report on the conservative media ecosystem. There are a few things that one could notice. One is more frequent posting, B is longer form. And there's multiple levels. One is real personalities, the second is more intellectuals, and then the third is people who cover more forms of media. So in other words, it's almost like lifestyle. It's almost like a version of Good Morning America or something. So it's three levels.

[Matt Abrahams]

It's interesting to think about a communication strategy that looks at each of those levels. So it might be somebody who's looking to advocate for themselves or build an audience that they would actually strategically target those different types of media and perhaps their messages towards those types of media. I teach strategic communication, so it becomes a really interesting strategic plan to get your messages out.

[Richard Edelman]

Well, it's completely insufficient to just go to mainstream media now. You can't. You have to talk to creators. You also have to talk to this new ecosystem of people who are podcasters and otherwise.

[Matt Abrahams]

So you're getting the message out is very different than it used to be. And the people who are being successful I think, understand that. I want to switch back to the obligatory AI question. With the rapid advancement of technology AI and as we talked about the changing media landscapes, what do you see as the biggest opportunities and the biggest challenges for the future of how organizations communicate and present themselves to the world?

[Richard Edelman]

I had my AI team actually put in my 20 plus years of blogs, and I've written a blog every week for 20 years, which is in my voice. And a lot of its stuff is talking about trust one form or another. I'm writing a blog about the pandemic in five years on and I put in some ideas of what I want and, you know, ChatGPT helps me in 10 minutes to write the block. The productivity is stunning. We're still trying to figure out, does it change our organizational structure? Does it change our workflows? All these things?

[Matt Abrahams]

Are there concerns you have? I mean, you've shared that it can help, and I certainly agree. I use it in much the same way you do it. It helps me craft outlines more quickly and then I can expand on it. Have you personally experienced or are you seeing in some of the data you collect some concerns about AI and trust?

[Richard Edelman]

It's a first draft of history. Let's put it this way, it should not be your final draft.

[Matt Abrahams]

I like that it's a first draft, and I think many of us jump to try to make it a last draft. Drawing on your extensive career and experience, what are some key qualities and skills that you believe are essential for the next generation of leaders? When it comes to personal communication, trust, et cetera, I think you have to.

[Richard Edelman]

Be a citizen of the world. To the extent that you have the ability to travel, you must. The idea that somehow all concepts emanate from the 50 states is deeply fallacious. I also believe that one must really be willing to expose your thinking to those who have a fundamentally different approach to not just politics, but to how to live. And even at 70, I'm trying to. My wife is much more interested in the arts and things like that, so I'm trying to expose myself to Cirque du Soleil and art shows and things, and it makes you broader.

[Matt Abrahams]

That notion of being a citizen of the world, I think is a really important one, and I'm glad you're enjoying Cirque du Soleil. I and the teams that I work on always try to find somebody who has divergent or different views from me. And while it can be certainly frustrating at times, I have found that having a devil's advocate makes the work better and makes me better.

We'll be right back to continue our conversation. Thanks for supporting the partners who help us share smart communication with the world.

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Richard before we end, I like to ask all my guests three questions. One I create just for you and the other two are similar across everybody I talk to. Are you up for that?

[Richard Edelman]

Sure.

[Matt Abrahams]

If I were to invite you to speak to my class of Stanford MBAs and said, would you mind helping them understand the importance of trust and what they could do as young and aspiring managers to really focus on trust, what would you share with them?

[Richard Edelman]

I went to business school in a time when profit maximization and what was the sort of sole objective of business? I was HBS class of 78 and I remember we had a case on company wasn't doing well and the sort of guys were going to go into management consulting were like just fire half the staff. Either that or close the factory. And I think I remember sticking my hand up and going there may be another way. Maybe we could reduce their wages. Maybe we could train them. Maybe, you know. And I got in quite a pitched battle and I want your students to have that debate. I don't want them to rush to an answer because there are multiple ways to have a strategy and you want your employees on your side. And the communications business has been a little rough the last two years. We had a huge rush after Covid and we've had to go through a couple of reductions staff. And whenever I do this, I explain the complete context. I say here are the numbers, here's what I have to do. I hate it. I've held on as long as I could and I'll do my best to A give people good severance but B give them a good reference and they'll have always had the experience here. And here's my strategy for turning around. But the broader point is I want your students to also be recognizing responsibility they have to society more broadly. And it can be done in the context of making money. But business opportunity comes from serving a need.

[Matt Abrahams]

So what I hear in that answer is a few things. One, it's not finding the easy answer. It's actually engaging and being thoughtful about what's involved. And there are lots of levers to pull in your leadership and in the role you have. And you need to discuss and debate that. And then when you do have to take action, part of trust is being transparent and being empathetic to those who are affected. And I think those are really important lessons for all of us to learn. And I appreciate that. Let me ask question number two. Who is a communicator that you admire and why?

[Richard Edelman]

I've always appreciated Howard Schultz. Maybe because he grew up poor in Brooklyn and was to the manor born. He understood, for example, when he came back in 2007, 2008, he had to close the stores and reteach people how to make coffee. The first principles is do what you do well and do it affordably and stop this theory of continuous raising prices and be a good value. And similarly, Alhamdul of Chobashi, he's got a really strong sense of being an immigrant and he's employed people from Syria and whatever as plans. But. But he inspires people about the value of food and the necessity of. But Howard had the third place for Starbucks and Hyundai has affordable good for you food. He's not going to satisfy with less. And they talk in a way that makes you want to follow.

[Matt Abrahams]

Give me more on that. What is it that they do? So they ask questions or they say things in a provocative manner.

[Richard Edelman]

I think they're less provocative and they're more big picture. They're not narrow cathedral business people, which I think is a weakness often of MBAs because we are taught to be hugely analytical and focused. But in fact you should be broad spectrum in order to come to solutions.

[Matt Abrahams]

Again, considering multiple perspectives and taking a step back before moving forward. Thank you for sharing that. Our final question. What are the first three ingredients that go into a successful communication recipe?

[Richard Edelman]

I think action builds trust. If you don't do something, you can't talk about it. The second is to speak broadly, meaning talk to your employees first and then talk to other stakeholders so inside out. And then the third is as there's been dispersion of authority, you have to talk, but then the employees have to talk. It has to be a cadence and there has to be a broad inclusion of forms of media again, from creators to podcasters to mainstream. You can start things in social now very effectively and then finish up with mainstream. You can't assume that you should go first sincerely to the New York Times or something. You you may be better served with a podcast or other who gives you popular support.

[Matt Abrahams]

I like the notion of inside out makes a lot of sense and then thinking about the landscape and where your message best fits first and then move to the other types of outlets in media. Thank you for your time and thank you for your insights.

[Richard Edelman]

Thank you for having me.

[Matt Abrahams]

Thank you for joining us for another episode of Think Fast Talk Smart, the podcast. For more on Trust, please listen to episode 156 with Jamil Zaki. This episode was produced by Ryan Campos.

And me, Matt Abrahams.

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